It was a winning weekend of wrestling in Bethel, and at least 16 Bethel Warriors are headed to state competition. The top two finishers in any weight class won an automatic place in the state tournament. Six Lady Warriors earned that honor on the mat, as did 10 Warrior boys.
2018 Great Alaska Conference Girls Champs
Credit Darren Lieb
Six Lady Warriors placed first in their classes: Delarae Charlie, Fiona Phelan, Jaron Mute, Rebecca Samuelson, Lindsey Beans-Polk, and Alexis Kinegak.
Kelsie Madson and Shanna Mendenhall placed third in their weight classes, which was not quite high enough to get an automatic berth in the state competition.
Ten Warrior boys won automatic berths in the state wrestling championship. They include seven who placed first in their weight classes: Landon Smith, Joseph Smith, Jamin Crow, Javis Evans, Hayden Lieb, Nicholas Chase, and Ryan Smith.
The three warriors who placed second in their weight classes will also go to state: Daniel Chakuchin, Lawrence Bayer, and Elijah Lindley. Bradley Oulton missed an automatic berth in the state championship when he finished third in his weight class. However, Bethel coaches are hoping to get some of their wrestlers into at-large berths.
Overall, the hometown Warriors topped the field in team points at the 2018 Great Alaska Conference Tournament in Bethel.